Rocket-type line-throwing apparatus



'Mach 10;1959v rE.. H. wHEELwRlc'aHT; ETAL I 2,876,702-

ROCKET-'MPEy LAINE-THROWING, APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 6. i957 XM1?. %www.mm K m@ 75. H. WHEELWRIGHT ETAL 2,876,702 ROCKET-TYPE LINE-THROWING APPARATS March 10, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6, 1957 uw N mw n States ROCKET-TYPE LINE-THROWING APPARATUS Edward Hanley Wheelwright, near Salisbury, Donald John Bonness, Amesbury, and Walter Whitehorn, Fovant, England, assignors to Waeco Limited, Salisbury, England, a British company Unite ,t

This invention comprises improvements in or relating to rocket-type line-throwing apparatus.

Such apparatus usually comprises a rocket with a tail or bridle to which the line to be thrown is attached in use, a pistol or gun with a barrel to accommodate the rocket and having a breech to receive a rocket ignition cart-ridge, a container with the line to be thrown aked in it, and a second container with a stock of ignition cartridges. These parts of the apparatus are separately housed in a case from which they are removed before use, it being necessary to attach one end of the line to suitable holding point and the other end of the line to the tail or bridle of the rocket, to load the rocket into the barrel of the pistol `or gun, and to insert a cartridge into the breech before the apparatus is ready for use.

It will be appreciated that rocket-line throwing apparatus is used mainly in emergencies and often in conditions which make it difficult to assemble the apparatus.

This invention has for an object to provide improved rocket-type line-throwing apparatus by which the disadvantages of the known apparatus are substantially mitigated.

According to the present invention, rocket-type linethrowing apparatus comprises a casing having a removable lid at one end and divided internally into a number of compartments open at the lid end of the casing, one of said compartments being adapted to receive a flaked line a rocket launching tube secured in another compartmentwith its mouth facing the lid and an igniter-receiving holder accessible for insertion of an igniter through a wall of the casing opposite the lid, the holder being arranged so that gases generated on actuation of the igniter enter the launching tube to ignite a rocket in the tube, a handle on the casing by which the apparatus is carried and held during line throwing and a trigger which is operable while holding the apparatus by means of the handle and is arranged to actuate an igniter tted in the holder.

The apparatus of this invention will normally be supplied with a liney ilaked in the rst compartment and a rocket accommodated in the launching tube with one end of the line attached in a suitable manner to the rocket, the other end of the line being exposable for attachment to a suitable holding point. The igniters will as a safety measure be accommodated in the casing, for instance in the lid, to be exposed by removal of the lid. Thus to prepare the apparatus of this invention for use it is merely necessary to remove the lid, tie the exposed end of the line to a holding point and insert a cartridge in the holder. The rocket is then discharged directly from the casing of the apparatus and the line is drawn directly from the first compartment. It will thus be appreciated that the line-throwing operation is facilitated as compared with known apparatus.

According to a feature of this invention, the lirst compartment may be sealed at its open end by a paper or like seal and the end of the line which is attached to the rocket extends through a hole in the seal.

ate

2,876,702 Patented Mar. 10, 1959 According to another feature of this invention, the rocket is preferably provided with a yoke having limbs extending along the rocket and outside the launching tube, a stirrup pivoted to the -rear end of the limbs and a trace connecting the stirrup with the line. Preferably, moreover, the yoke is detachably secured to the rocket to permit ready interchange of the rocket without removal of the line from the casing and the yoke may also be adapted to limit the extent to which the rocket extends into the launching tube.

According to yet another feature of this invention, each igniter may comprise a casing accommodating an ignition charge and a spring-loaded liring pin for the charge, and a plate engaging the tiring pin to hold it inoperative and adapted to be engaged by the trigger to be retracted to release the tiring pin. For instance, the plate may be formed with a keyhole slot to engage a head on the tiring pin and with a notch to be engaged by the trigger.

'According to a preferred feature of this invention, the handle is mounted on the top of the casing and has a first portion adjacent the wall opposite the lid extending at right angles to the top of the casing, and wherein the trigger may comprise a hooked portion extending through said rst portion of the handle into the casing adjacent the igniter-receiving holder and a second portion externally of the handle which portion may be gripped to operate the trigger whilst holding the handle. Means may be provided to prevent accidental operation of the trigger, for instance a safety pin is provided extending through said first portion of the handle and a nib on the trigger engaging behind the safety pin to prevent accidental operatio-n of the trigger whilst the safety pin is in position. In one construction the handle comprises a second portion extending from said first portion towards the lid end of the casing and wherein the second portion of the trigger extends parallel to the second portion of the handle and has its end bent up and slidingly engaged in the second portion of the handle.

According to another feature of this invention, the handle may carry a sighting device which may for example be in the form of a length of tube set at a suitable angle.

According to yet another feature of this invention, the rocket may be provided with a choke device comprising a ring of wood or other readily formable material and a thin metal sleeve fitted in/the orifice of the ring to protect it against damage during burning of the propellant charge of the rocket.

One embodiment of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a sectional elevation of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a view in the direction of arrow 2 on Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in` the direction of arrow 3 on Figure l with parts removed;

Figure 4 is a section through a form of rocket suitable for use with the apparatus of Figures 1 to 3;

Figure 5 is a section through an igniter device for use with the apparatus ofFigures 1 to 3; and

Figure 6 is a view in the direction of arrow 6 on Figure 5.

The line-throwing apparatus comprises a rectangular casing of sheet metal having a base wall 10 and a top wall 11 joined by side walls 12 and one end wall 13, the opposite end being open, and comprises also a removable lid 14 to close theopen end. The lid 14 is fitted with a ring handle 15 to facilitate its removal in use. A partition 16 which is parallel to the base and top walls 10, 11 and is secured to the side walls 12, divides the casing into two compartments 17, 18, the lower compartment 17 being the line storage compartment and the upper compartment 1S accommodating a rocket launching tube 19.

A handle 21, conveniently formed from metal tubing, is secured to the top wall 11 at one end adjacent the'end wall 13 and at its other end adjacent the open end of l the casing. The handle 21 has adjacent the end wall a T he rocket launching tube 19 is a length of steel tube which isrigidly supported within the compartment 13 by means of a U-shaped strap 20 securedk to the top wall 11. The tube 19 has one end spaced by a short distancefrom the end wall 13-and its other end spaced toa greater extent from the open end of the casing. A tree space is left within the compartment 18 below the tube 19. The tube 19 is i'ittedat its end adjacent the end wall 13l with a hollow plug 23 forming ka combustion space for the rocket igniter charge. l

A rocket igniter holder Z4-in the form of a short tube with aibayonet .connection is mounted in the casing in line with and projecting into the bore of the .hollowl plug 23, access to the tube 24 being obtained through a hole .25 in the end wall, which is encircled by a threaded sheet metal ange Z6 secured externallyy on'the end lwa'll'and this flange carries a threaded sheet metal closure cap 27.

; A tubular shield S6 extends from the hole 25 to adjacent the rear end of the launching tube 119 and the forward The holder 24 is adapted to receive an igniter which.

comprises a cylindrical casing 28 with projecting pegs 29 .to engage the bayonet connection ot' the holder 24, an ignition charge 33 and an integral spring-loaded tiring pin 3@ which is retained under loading of a spring 31 by a retractable plate 32. The plate 32 has a keyhole slot 32a engaged by a head 30a on the tiring pin 30 and a notch 32h to enable the plate to be retracted. The plate is guided by lugs 28u bent up from the material of the casing 28. When the plate 32 is withdrawn, the tiring pin is urged forwardly by its loading spring 31 and the ignition charge 33 is ignited.

The plate 32 is arranged to be withdrawn in operation by a trigger 34 one end 34a of which is hooked and projects through a sealing plug 54 accommodated in the handle 21 into the casing adjacent the threaded flange Z6 and engages the notch 32h in the plate 32, and the other end 34b of the trigger extends below the handle portion 2lb and is bent upwards slidingly to engage a hole in the handle portion 2lb. A safety pin 35 extends through the handle portion 21a just above the trigger which is pro-vided with a projecting nib 36 to prevent forcible raising of the trigger when the pin is in place.

The apparatus also comprises a rocket 37 which is accommodated within the launching tube 19. The rocket (Figure 4) comprises a steel casing 38 closed at its forward end by a wooden plug 39 and-containing a propellant charge 4t?. At its rear end, the casing 38 contains a clay plug 41 backed by a wooden choke member 42 the bore of which is lined with a sleeve 43 of steel or other heat-resistant metal or of refractory material. The choke is retained in position by screws 55.

T he apparatus also comprises a yoke 44 to which the line 45 to be thrown is attached. The yoke comprises a pair of rings 44a encircling the rocket at axially-spaced points and a U-piece 44h secured to the rings, the limbs ot the U-piece extending along the rocket to beyond its rear end. The yoke is detachably secured to the rocket by means of a screw 46 passing through one of the rings 44a into the rocket casing. The yoke 44 has'its limbs outside the launching tube 19 and has pivoted to its rear end a stirrup 47 to which one end of an asbestos covered steel trace 43 is attached. The trace rests on the partition 1d and has its opposite end attached to one end f of the line 45.

The rear ring 44a limits the extent to which the rocket enters the launching tube 19.

Also since the yoke is readily detachable from the rocket, the latter may readily be replaced if necessary without detaching the line 45 from the yoke or removing the line from the casing.

The line 4S is accommodated in the lower compartment t7 in the ilaked kcondition and a seal 49 of paper or other suita le fragile material closes the end of the compartment 1'/ so that when the lid 14 of thel casing is removed the line does not immediately fall from the compartment. The end of the line 45 which is attached to the trace 48 projects through a hole in theseal 49 and theA other end 45a of the line extends through a hole in the end wall 13finto aspace enclosed by a threaded ange 50 which receives a closure cap 51.

The apparatus is supplied with a number of the igniters as described above, the igniters being retained within the lid 14 by means of lsuitable clips 52.

To use the line-throwing apparatus, the screw caps 27 and 51, and the lid 14 of the casing are removed so exposing the igniter-receiving holder 24, the yend 45a of the line and the open ends of the upper and lower comypartrnents 17, 1S. The end 45a of the line is attached to a suitable holding point, an igniter 2S is removed from its clip 52 in the lid and inserted into the holder 24 by f means of the bayonet connection, the notch 32h of the plate 32 being engaged over the hookedend 34a of the trigger 34. The .screw cap 27 is now replaced and the apparatus is ready for tiring. The apparatus is then held by the handle l21,A the safety pin 35 is removed and a sight is taken through the aperture sight 22 in relation to the target and the trigger operated. The trigger mechanism retracts the plate 32 of the igniter so releasing the tiring pin 30 and igniting its charge 33. The burning gases generated ignite the rocket and also gives the rocket an initial forward thrust to eject it from the launching tube 19. As the rocket travels outwardly from the apparatus, it carries the yoke 44 with it so entraining the trace and thereafter drawing the line 45 from the lower compartment, the line retaining seal 49 being torn as the line is drawn through it.

It will be seen that the apparatus of this invention has a number of advantages as compared with the apparatus commonly used hitherto. Firstly the apparatus is put in condition for use more easily, since it is not necessary to remove all the parts of the apparatus from a case and assemble them, secondly the casing may be made of relatively cheap materials and thus, since the greater part of the cost of the apparatus is in the rocket and the line, which should not be used a second time, the whole apparatus may be discarded after use. Thirdly, the apparatus may be sighted on the target which hitherto has been impracticable owing to the angle at which the apparatus has to be held for discharge. Fourthly, since the discharging apparatus for the rocket can be made 1of cheap material and can be discarded after a single rocket discharge, difficulties which have hitherto been met in maintenance and use of rocket discharging pistols or guns due to fouling and the need for recharging are avoided. Fifthly, the majority of maritime authorities specify the number of rockets and lines that shall be carried by any particular vessel and it will be appreciated that with the apparatus of this invention these rockets and lines may be stored and operated from different parts of the vessel and by diierent persons which is of adyantage as compared with known line-throwing apparatus where usually only a single gun or pistol is carried. Sixthly, the apparatus permits the rockets and igniters to be replaced readily if and when this becomes necessary due to age or other reasons; it will be appreciated that many maritime authorities insist that the rockets and cartridges be replaced after a prescribed period even though no deterioration is evident.

We claim:

1. Rocket line-throwing apparatus of the class comprising a rocket and a line to be thrown by the rocket, which apparatus comprises also a box-like casing having an open end and an end wall at its opposite end, a removable lid closing said -open end of the casing, internal wall means extending within the casing between said open end and said end wall and dividing the interior of the casing into first and second compartments, each of which compartments is open adjacent the open end of the casing, said first compartment affording a storage space for the line to be thrown, the line being drawn directly from the first compartment on operation of the apparatus, a rocket-launching tube secured in said second compartment and extending between said open end and said end wall, said rocket-launching tube being open at its end adjacent the open end of the casing to receive the rocket and alfording a storage for the rocket which is discharged directly from the launching tube through the open end of the casing, an igniter-receiving holder adapted to receive a rocket igniter and secured to said casing in line with and in communication with said rocket-launching tube at its end adjacentl the end wall of the casing, removable cover means mounted on said end Wall which cover means on removal exposes said igniter-receiving holder to permit insertion therein of a rocket igniter, a handle on said casing, and trigger means having a lirst part externally of the casing and adjacent the handle to permit said trigger means to be operated when holding the apparatus by the handle and a second part extending adjacent said igniter-receiving holder to engage an igniter itted in the holder.

2. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising also a aked line within the first compartment, a removable closure cap mounted on the casing and covering a hole inthe casing through which one end of the line projects, and a tearable seal covering the open end of said compartment, the opposite end of the line extending through the seal for attachment to the rocket.

3. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, the rocket having a body projecting in the launching tube and a yoke having limbs extending lengthwise the rocket within the second compartment outside the launching tube, a stirrup pivoted to the rear end of the limbs and a trace connecting the stirrup with the end of the line which extends through the seal.

4. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the yoke `comprises a pair of axially-spaced rings encircling the rocket body and a U-piece secured to the rings, the yoke being detachably secured to the rocket body, and one ofthe rings abutting the open end of the launching tube and limiting the extent to which the rocket body projects into the launching tube.

5. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim 0 4, wherein the yoke is detachably secured to the rocket by means of a setscrew passing through one of the rings into the rocket body.

6. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim l, comprising also clip means receiving a plurality of rocket igniters, said clip means being mounted within the casing away from the igniter-receiving holder.

7. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said clip means is mounted within the removable lid. Y

8. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each rocket igniter comprises a casing accommodating an ignition charge and fitting within the igniter holder and a spring-loaded ring pin for the charge, and a retractable plate engaging the firing pin to hold it inoperative and engageable by the second part of the trigger means to be retracted to release the firing pin.

9. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ring pin has a head portion and the plate is formed with a keyhole slot engaging the head and with a notch to be engaged by the second part of the trigger means.

10. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handle is mounted on the top of the casing and has a first portion adjacent the end wall of the casing extending at right angles to the top of the casing, and wherein the trigger means comprises as said second part thereof a hooked portion extending through said first portion of the handle into the casing adjacent the igniter-receiving holder.

11. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, comprising a safety pin extending through said first portion of the handle and a nib on said second part of the trigger means engaging behind the safety pin to prevent accidental operation of the trigger means whilst the safety pin is in position.

12. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the handle comprises a second portion extending from said rst portion towards the open end of the casing and wherein the first part of the trigger means extends parallel to the second portion of the handle and has its end bent up and slidingly engaged in the second portion of the handle.

13. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handle also carries a sighting device.

14. Rocket line-throwing apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sighting device comprises a length of tube secured to the handle at a suitable angle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 310,852 Roys Ian. 13, 1885 376,375 Fletcher Jan. 10, 1888 395,881 Cunningham Ian. 8, 1889 455,279 Cunningham June 30, 1891 932,270 Goodwin Aug. 24, 1909 2,210,820 Schermuly Aug. 6, 1940 2,667,839 DeCarlo Feb. 2, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,136 Great Britain of 1894 

